Device for printing numerical figures and other characters on labels and for pasting these labels consecutively onto articles and merchandise



Jlly 28, 1970 y Yo SATO ETAL 3,522,131

DEVICE FOR PRINTING NUMERICAL FIGURES AND OTHER CHARACTERS on LABELS ANDFOR PASTING THESE LABELS CONSECUTIVELY ONTO ARTICLES AND MERCHANDISEFiled Dec. 20, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 1.

July 28, 1970 YO SATO ETAL DEVICE FOR PRINTING NUMERICAL FIGURES ANDOTHER CHARACTERS ON LABELS AND FOR PASTING THESE LABELS GONSECUTIVELYONTO ARTICLES AND MERCHANDISE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 20, 1966 July28, 1970 v0 SATO ETAL 3,522,131

DEVICE FOR PRINTING NUMERICAL FIGURES AND OTHER CHARACTERS ON LABELS ANDFOR PASTING THESE LABELS CONSECUTIVELY ONTO ARTICLES AND MERCHANDISEFiled Dec. 20, 1966 I5 Sheets-Sheet S United States Patent Oflice3,522,131 Patented July 28, 1970 Ja an p Filed Dec. 20, 1966, Ser. No.603,254 Claims priority, application Japan, Dec. 29, 1965, 40/107,314;June 17, 1966, ll/56,690 Int. Cl. B32]; 35/00; B41f N08 US. Cl. 156-384Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for printing numericalfigures and other characters on labels and for pasting these labelsconsecutively onto articles and mechandise, characterized by theprovision of a label holding apparatus which is capable of being openedand closed at will, an abnormal-label-delivery preventing apparatuswhich is installed adjacent a receiving piece located below a labelholding frame for blocking movement of the labels instantly whennecessary to prevent the labels from being pulled out, a rolling-uppreventing piece equipped with a guide projection and a guard installedabout printing apparatus at the front part of the device to cover andprotect the same.

The present invention relates to the improvement of a device whose chiefobjective is to consecutively carry on the operation of printing prices,marks, numerical figures and letters on labels and pasting these labelsonto the surface of merchandise and other articles.

Labels to be used for this device to be cut to a certain measurement andare applied to a belt-shaped paper by means of adhesive agent applied tothe rear side of the labels. This body of paper is wound into a spiraland placed in a label holding frame.

The first objective of the present invention is to provide forseparating the labels from the belt-shaped paper and to carry said papersmoothly outside the device by means of a guide projection forpreventing labels from being improperly dispensed.

The second objective of the present invention is to provide for pastingsaid labels accurately onto various articles by means of a rotatingregulating adhesive device.

The third objective of the present invention is to prevent saidprojected parts from being damaged.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along line AA in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a label holding frame;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a core cylinder matched with theconsecutive body of the labels;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the state of loading theconsecutive body of the labels onto the label holding frame;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a holding piece;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a label stopper;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a label rolling-up preventing piece;

FIG. 10 is a side view of a guard fixed in the front end of the devicefor protecting a printing apparatus with rubber stamps; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a guard.

A detailed explanation of the present invention follows with referenceto the accompanying drawings.

A fitting stand 2 is mounted on the central part of a case 1 of thedevice by a screw 3. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the label holding frame 5is connected at the one side of the fitting stand 2 by a shaft 4. A hole7 is provided on both sides of the upper central part of the labelholding frame 5 for fixing the core cylinder 6 which is inserted intothe body of consecutive labels. An arc-shaped groove 8 is formed bybending one side of the lower end of the frame into the shape of an arc.A damping piece 10 prepared by bending the other end into the form of aleaf spring which is put into close contact with the upper and sidefaces of one side of the fitting stand 2. A projection 11 is provided inan appropriate position in the lower side to prevent the label holdingframe 5 from descending more than necessary.

A label stopper 14, as shown in FIG. 8, is fixed to a shaft 13 pressedinto a holding piece 12 and a coil spring 15 is fixed in such a manneras to press the label stopper 14 in a counterclockwise direction.

A metallic frame 17 is installed for pushing the part 16 of the labelstopper towards lower side of the holding piece 12. Therefore, the label19 is pressed and fixed between the receiving piece 9 of the labelholding frame 5 and the curved part 18 which is one side of the labelstopper 14 bent approximately at a right angle. The label stopper 16 isalso in contact with the label 19. This is for the purpose of enlargingthe contact area of the part 16 of the label stopper and the metallicframe 17 to minimize friction and further to make the stopping positionof the metallic frame 17 precise.

The procedure of setting the body of labels onto this device is asfollows: The label holding frame 5 is pushed down in the direction of anarrow B as shown in FIG. 6. Then, a knob 20 is pulled in the directionof an arrow C, the lower frame 21 is opened in the direction of an arrowD and then a core cylinder 6 is inserted into the body of labels 22which is then set in the label holding frame 5. The body of labels ispulled out at its edge, as shown in FIG. 2, and then this edge is putthrough a gap between the lower frame 21, a delivery roller 23 and asmall roller 24 and then the lower frame 21 and the label holding frame5 are set up.

When a grip 25 fixed in parallel with the lower side of the rear half ofthe device is engaged, the metallic frame 17 which is connected with thegrip 25 turns in a counterclockwise direction on the fulcrum shaft 36 inthe center. Then the force applied to the part 16 of the label stopperis removed and the part 16 of the label stopper turns in acounterclockwise direction due to the action of the coil spring 15 withthe shaft 13 in the center and the label stopper 14 comes into contactwith one side of the holding piece 12 coming to halt. Then the part 18of the label stopper is separated from the receiving piece 9, and thelabel 19 is set free.

When the grip 25 is engaged and held until it comes to a halt, theprinting process is effected. When the printing is over and the grip 25is released, the label 19 is forwarded by the action of a unidirectionalclutch fitted inside the delivery roller 23. At this time, the part 18of the label stopper and the receiving piece 9 are set apart from eachother, and thus the label 19 is transported with no difficulty. 7

When label 19 is moved forward, the metallic frame 17 comes into contactwith the part 16 of the label stopper, and just as soon as these twoparts come into contact with each other, the part 18 of the labelstopper holds the label 19 between itself and the receiving piece 9.Therefore, when a label 26 dispensed outside the device is pasted ontoan article, the said label stopper 14 prevents subsequent labels frombeing pulled out due to 3 insufiicient cutting or the connection of anadhesive agent and at the same time it eliminates shear in printingwhich might otherwise be brought about by the slackening of the label19.

A label rolling-up preventing piece 28 which provides a guide projection27 at the rear of the delivery roller 23 is placed so that the curvedsurface of the bottom of the grooves provided in the perimeter of thedelivery roller 23 is inserted inside of this preventing piece 28, andthus the paper 29 is guided by the guide projection 27 and usheredoutside the device without any difficulty.

Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the printing apparatus P fixed in thefront end of the case 1, sticking out from the front end at all times,is readily damaged by friction or impact with other articles or by beingpushed against other substances. Another characteristic of the presentinvention is to protect the projected part of the printing apparatus Pwith a simple guard piece manufactured with a piece of rigid wire suchas metallic wire.

For the manufacture of said guard, a piece of metallic wire ofrelatively large diameter is bent, as illustrated in FIG. 11, to makethe guard 30. One set comprising two pieces of said guards 30 are weldedtogether with shorter pieces of the same material at the connecting part31 to form the main body of the guard, and both ends of the guard arebent into the shape of small rings to form the installation part 32 tobe fixed to the device.

When this guard body is installed on the device, the screws 33 which areprovided in both side wall of the printing apparatus P are used tofasten the installation part 32 to the device.

The illustrated connection part 31 can also be utilized at a hook 34 forhanging by changing its shape.

The present invention possesses the following characteristics andeffects:

(1) Since the body of consecutive labels can be easily loaded and thedevice is light in weight and the operation can be performed with ease,the fatigue of an operator of the device can be considerably mitigated.

(2) Since the device makes it possible to press down a label instantlyand only when necessary, it causes no resistance and gives no ill-effectto the label-delivery apparatus labeling at a certain fixed pace. Thedevice also maintains a stabilized operation for a prolonged period and,even if the cutting of a label is imperfect, the label cannot be wastedas it can be used widely. In printing the labels, there is no fear ofthe shear in printing due to slackening of the labels.

(3) The paper which is delivered forward by the delivery roller 23 andthe small roller 24 after being pulled out from the body of labels 22and passing the separating part of the printing apparatus is preciselyguided outside the device by the guide projection 27 of the rolling-uppreventing piece 28 inserted into the delivery roller, and thus there isno fear that the device can go out of order. Furthermore, the rolling-uppreventing piece 28 is simple in shape and can be easily attached ortaken away, and

4 thus it leaves little chance of disorder but instead raises efficiencyof the work.

(4) The invention makes it possible to form a simple guard body with arigid metallic wire, the device also possesses a frame which ismechanically strong. The projected part of the printing apparatus withrubber stamps is thus protected and the printing apparatus can be easilycleaned.

What we claim is:

1. Apparatus for printing on and dispensing labels comprising means forprinting on and guiding labels arranged consecutively on a strip ofpaper, said means including a casing and an operating member to controlthe movement of said strip; and a source of said strip, said sourceincluding a frame, a fitting stand on said casing, a shaft pivotallyconnecting the frame to said stand, an are shaped receiving piece onsaid frame and cooperating with said means for the guiding of saidstrip, a core on said frame for supporting a coil of said strip, and aleaf spring on said frame and cooperating with said stand such that theframe can be selectively pivoted between open and closed positions onthe said casing.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means comprising alabel stopper includes a curved part adapted to cooperate with saidreceiving piece, and means to pivotally support said stopper whereby thecurved part and receiving piece can block movement of the strip.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first said meansincludes a guide roller to receive the strip from between the curvedpart and receiving piece, said roller being provided with a peripheralgroove, and a ring-like member in said groove and including a projectionextending radially outwards of said groove to guide the strip outwardlyfrom the roller, the strip passing from said core between the curvedpart and receiving piece and partially around said roller and beingseparated from the latter by said projection, said apparatus furthercomprising means to guide the strip from said casing.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 comprising a displaceable guard frameon said casing to protect said means for printing.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 comprising means connected to saidoperating member and positioned to displace said label stopper on themeans pivotally supporting the same.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,231,446 1/1966 Satas 156-3843,342,662 9/1967 Grasmann 1563 84 3,420,172 1/1969 Kaplan 156384 DOUGLASJ. DRUMMOND, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

